More than 150 Newark police officers lost their jobs yesterday after negotiations between their union and New Jersey’s largest city broke off, reducing the police force as violent crime has started to rise after three years of decline…

The 167 layoffs mark the city’s largest force reduction in 32 years.

Mayor Cory Booker criticized the Fraternal Order of Police for an "unwillingness to make one penny’s worth of concessions in order to save jobs," and noted that all other city employee unions had made concessions in recent months.

[Mayor Booker] also slammed the union’s executive board for rejecting the city’s demands without putting them to a vote by the full membership.

FOP President Derrick Hatcher defended the union’s actions, and said its proposals could have saved the officers’ jobs and maintained the existing contract.

"To put it out for a vote would basically be renegotiating our contract," he said…

So the union leaders would prefer to see their members unemployed opposed to giving up any thing to save their jobs.

NJCardFan

12-01-2010, 03:05 PM

This is going on all around the state, especially in areas who can ill afford to lose cops and IMO, the union, by not playing ball, are putting their rank and file in danger. We had a 1 year pay freeze and to be honest, I didn't feel it.

Jfor

12-01-2010, 03:20 PM

This is going on all around the state, especially in areas who can ill afford to lose cops and IMO, the union, by not playing ball, are putting their rank and file in danger. We had a 1 year pay freeze and to be honest, I didn't feel it.

Simple solution. Allow CCW.

noonwitch

12-01-2010, 03:32 PM

This is going on all around the state, especially in areas who can ill afford to lose cops and IMO, the union, by not playing ball, are putting their rank and file in danger. We had a 1 year pay freeze and to be honest, I didn't feel it.

We've had a freeze for several years. I felt it badly until I paid off my car note last spring.

Newark, Jersey City, Atlantic City, and even Camden has laid off cops. But a little city like Millville didn't. Why? Because Millville Police's union made concessions. They thought it'd be better to keep more cops employed than to placate only the most senior officers. But in those other cities, typical union behavior. When it all comes down to it, they are just as greedy as those who they claim to fight against. I hope that FOP executive board enjoys it's Christmas because there are about 150 families in your rank and file who will not.

Hawkgirl

12-01-2010, 07:03 PM

This is going on all around the state, especially in areas who can ill afford to lose cops and IMO, the union, by not playing ball, are putting their rank and file in danger. We had a 1 year pay freeze and to be honest, I didn't feel it.

My brother is a county bus driver...they've had a 2 year pay freeze...but he's thankful for a job.

ironhorsedriver

12-01-2010, 07:12 PM

Problem is, the Union will convince most of the laid off officers that it's the big, bad city's fault. They, the Union where simply sticking up for them. I'll guaranty you the Union officials are still living like fat cats.

Madisonian

12-01-2010, 09:16 PM

Problem is, the Union will convince most of the laid off officers that it's the big, bad city's fault. They, the Union where simply sticking up for them. I'll guaranty you the Union officials are still living like fat cats.

The union won't blame it on the city because Booker is a Democrat. This will all be the fault of that Republican union basher Chris Christie for not giving Newark enough money to fund its police force.